The Effectiveness of an Evidence-Based Pain Management Program on Pain Intensity and Chest Rehabilitation Improvement Among Chest Trauma Patients in a Thai Hospital

Abstract

BackgroundPain after thoracic injury has further profound impacts on patients resulting in increased length of hospital stay and hospital care cost, and decreased quality of life. Utilization of the cutting-edge evidence on pain management that fits with the individual care context is therefore important. AimTo examine the effects of an evidenced-based pain management program on the worst pain intensity and lung vital capacity among acutely ill hospitalized chest trauma patients. DesignA two-group repeated measures design. Settingstrauma unit, a university hospital in southern Thailand. Participants/Subjects42 chest trauma patients. MethodsThe study population included 42 chest trauma patients admitted to the trauma unit. Twenty-one eligible chest trauma patients were consecutively assigned into intervention and control groups. The impacts of the intervention on the level of the worst pain intensity and lung vital capacity were measured before implementation of the program and throughout the first 5 days of admission. ResultsThe study found a significant reduction in the worst pain intensity and an increase in the lung vital capacity among chest trauma patients in the intervention group compared with the control group (p < .05). ConclusionsUse of a pain management program can be an effective, inexpensive, and low-risk intervention for the improvement of pain management and chest rehabilitation among chest trauma patients.